Registration is closed for HMChO 2026.

The 2nd Annual HMChO will be held virtually on February 21, 2026. Registration is now closed.

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Students are asked to login to assigned Zoom rooms (email will be sent tomorrow morning) at 9:10 AM EST. It is required for all students to be present by 9:30 AM EST. For check-in, please bring Government ID, camera set up to show workspace (per Regulations), and non-programmable, non-graphing calculator ready for inspection. Zoom username must be your full name.

Nothing aids other than blank paper, writing utensil, exam computer, and non-programmable, non-graphing calculator are allowed in workspace.

2026 Competition Updates:

10:40 AM - 12:10 AM: Part I Exam
10:17 AM - Check in is almost complete and students are being assigned to break out rooms for the Part I exam. Please ensure your camera is on.
9:51 AM - Over 100 students have been successfully checked in. We anticipate Part I exam will start delayed by 20-30 minutes. Please stay in the zoom for further instruction. Students are still being kept in the Zoom waiting room until they are checked in 1-by-1.
9:07 AM - Check-in has started. Students must have full name as their username to be admitted. Students are being kept in the Zoom waiting room until they are checked in 1-by-1.
2/20/26 - Students should have received their zoom link for the competition day via email.
2/19/26 - All registered students should have received email confirmation and an emailed link to join the Gradescope page. Gradescope page has practice submissions. Please email us if you cannot login to Gradescope.

What is HMChO?

Founded by past USNCO winners and IChO medalists from Harvard and MIT, HMChO was created with the vision of inspiring high school students worldwide to deepen their passion for chemistry. Our goals:

Engage a diverse community of students;
Support students in reaching beyond school curriculums;
Prepare students for examinations like the U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad (USNCO) by presenting questions written by USNCO study campers and IChO medalists;
Provide students with an enriching environment with peers across the world.

Exam Format

The Olympiad follows a format modeled after the U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad (USNCO) National Exam (Parts I and II) in order to ensure a rigorous assessment of students across the multiple areas of chemistry. It will run virtually in the 2026 competition.

The exam will be split into two parts as follows with a break between them:

Part I: 90 minutes for 60 multiple-choice questions;

Part II: 105 minutes for 8 written-response problems;

Scoring Formula: Total Score = 1.25 × Part I Score + Part II Score.

Please see the FAQs page for more detailed syllabus/scoring information and how to best prepare!

Eligibility

HMChO is open to all high school students (equivalents of U.S. grades 9-12) with all students participating in the same division.

HMChO has an international scope and invites students from all countries to participate.

HMChO 2026 Schedule

Tournament Date: Saturday, February 21st, 2026

Updated per email to students

Check-in Time: 9:30 AM EST. Students must be present at this time, but are strongly encouraged to arrive 20 minutes early (9:10 AM) for check in to ensure check in is complete in a timely fashion.

When checking in to the Zoom, ensure your workspace is clear and completely in view of camera (per regulations), your calculator is allowed, and your Zoom name is your full name (e.g. Luke Chen).

Part I Exam (Multiple Choice): 10:40 AM - 12:10 PM EST

Break: 12:10 PM - 12:40 PM EST

Part II Exam (Free Response): 12:40 PM - 2:25 PM EST

Part II Exam Upload Period: 2:25 PM - 2:40 PM EST

The awards ceremony will take place one week after the competition.

Harvard-MIT Student Panel: Sunday, February 22nd, 2026; 10 AM EST. In this optional event, competitors will have the opportunity to ask questions to HMChO staff members regarding studying STEM, experiences at university, and advice for admissions to Harvard and MIT.

Complete information can be found on the HMChO Information page.

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